TWO CHURCHES
SC BETTENDORF - SC MOLINE
ONE MISSION
THE STORY OF SACRED CITY
Driven by the belief that the gospel changes everything, we've set out on a God-sized mission to make disciples, plant churches, and renew our cities to the glory of God. Looking to the way of Jesus and the way He made disciples, we believe the only way to do this is in community and on mission.
So, in June of 2011, we began planting small Missional Communities in people's homes throughout our cities: places where people could encounter the gospel with one another, learning to follow Jesus in the normal rhythms of life. When these MC's multiplied, we began to gather together on Sundays to be formed by the preaching of God's Word, liturgy, and the sacraments.
Slowly but surely, God began calling His people back to their core identities in the gospel. He was calling us to be a family of missionary servants, learning to live all of life with gospel-intentionality. He was calling people to listen to one another's stories, eat together with Christians and non-Christians alike, to celebrate His goodness and grace, to bless one another and those in our neighborhoods, and to re-create good gospel culture in our areas of influence.
By the grace of God, and as His mission moved forward, on January 8th, 2017, Sacred City Moline was planted out of Sacred City Davenport, creating two churches with the same mission of making disciples, planting churches, and renewing our cities.
In April of 2023, after 12 years of meeting in multiple rented facilities on the Davenport Jr. Theatre campus, Sacred City Davenport purchased the property and church building at 1811 18th Street in Bettendorf. After 6 months of extensive renovations, we held our first Sunday gathering on September 22nd in our new home where we can finally worship God together under one roof.
Through this simple Biblical framework of living in community and on mission with the gospel at the center, we've trusted God to make us fruitful, and He has done it! And we are continuing to trust Him as we remain faithful to His Word and mission.
CONTINUING THE STORY
What could God do in our cities over the next 10-20 years if we remain faithful to His mission?
After over a decade of doing gospel-centered ministry in the Quad Cities we are even more convinced today that our only hope is the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Us, our kids, our neighbors, and our cities need to have a life-altering encounter with Jesus.
For this to happen we must continue to bring the gospel to bear on every aspect of our lives. Our souls, homes, workplaces, hobbies, and relationships must all be shaped by the gospel. We want to see the gospel reverberate throughout our cities and see them be changed for the better. Our prayer is "May Your Kingdom come, in the Quad Cites as it is in Heaven."
We've made some disciples, we've planted some churches, but we've only scratched the surface of renewing our city.
To renew the city we need a long-term, multigenerational, county over country vision.
A vision that:
A vision that believes in the power of the gospel and isn't ashamed of it. A vision that can persevere through setbacks and poor harvests because our eyes remain focused on the Lord of the harvest who cannot fail. A vision that includes us, our children, and their children worshiping around the same table.
WHERE YOUR STORY AND GOD'S STORY MEET
Ask yourself: What would my city look like if I raised God-fearing, Jesus-loving, gospel-centered children who loved where they lived and saw themselves as a part of the mission of God right here? What if they grew up in a gospel-centered church, received a God-centered education, and put down roots right here in the Quad Cities?
Think about that! 10-20 years from now your kids could be the teachers, administrators, city councilmen/women, worship leaders, pastors, church planters, entrepreneurs, and artists impacting our cities for the sake of the gospel. If we want to change the culture of our cities we must begin by creating and cultivating good gospel culture.
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. - Matthew 5:14-16
In reality, we have very little say over what happens in our country. But we live here. The Quad Cities is big enough to be a strategic outpost for the sake of the gospel, and yet small enough that we could actually make a difference. This is the vision we believe God is calling us to. This is the vision we believe God is calling YOU and YOUR FAMILY to. It's way bigger than any one of us could accomplish. In fact, if God is not in it, it is destined to fail. And yet, Paul prays in Ephesians 3:20-21,